VATICAN CITY — The conservative pope who brought tweeting to the Vatican stunned the Roman Catholic world Monday, becoming the first pope in 600 years to resign as leader of the 1 billion-member church.
Pope Benedict XVI, 85, cited age and declining health in his announcement, issued in Latin during a meeting of cardinals. The resignation, effective Feb. 28, means a conclave of cardinals will be held here next month to elect a successor. “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited” for the task, he said. “Both strength of mind and body are necessary, strengths which in the last few months have deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me,” he said.
Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation
The Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said the process of selecting a pope will begin March 1. He said an exact date for the conclave to begin had not been determined. “Before Easter (March 31), we will have the new pope. (Resigning) is not a decision he has just improvised,” Lombardi said. “It’s a decision he has pondered.”
In Washington, President Obama praised Pope Benedict XVI and said he “warmly remembers” their meeting in 2009. “On behalf of Americans everywhere, Michelle and I wish to extend our appreciation and prayers,” Obama said in a statement. But not all Americans have been thrilled with Benedict’s rule. His handling of sex abuse issues has drawn criticism from some victims’ advocates.
“When forced to, he talks about the crimes but ignores the cover-ups, uses the past tense as if to suggest it’s not still happening,” said David Clohessy, the executive director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. “He has vast powers and he’s done very little to make a difference.”
Pope Criticized For Failure To Address Church Pedophilia
When and why did Pope Benedict XVI resign? — Independent UK
Related video: Pope Benedict XVI leaves the Vatican on the final day of his papacy in 2013.
Former pontiff accused of ‘misconduct’ by German law firm over alleged failure to act on child abuse cases. A German law firm has accused the former Pope Benedict XVI of failing to act in four historic child abuse cases that he was allegedly notified of during his tenure as archbishop of Munich and Freising.
The now retired pontiff, 94, held the post in question between 1977 and 1982 and was allegedly presented with information about the abuse at that time but declined to take action, prompting the firm, Westpfahl Spilker Wastl, to accuse him of “misconduct”. “In a total of four cases, we came to the conclusion that the then-archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger, can be accused of misconduct,” said Martin Pusch, co-author of the report.
The ex-pope, whose name is Joseph Ratzinger, has denied the accusations. His spokesperson has said he “takes the fates of the abuse victims very much to heart” and is fully “in favour of the publication of the Munich report”. At least 3,677 people were abused by German clergy between 1946 and 2014, according to a church-commissioned study published four years ago. The majority of victims were aged under 13.
Read More: Is This Why Pope Benedict XVI Suddenly Resigned?
